The latest Traveller travel quiz asks readers to name the country home to the Yasawa Islands. The answer is Fiji, and the question is a good excuse to look at one of the South Pacific's most rewarding island chains — a 20-island string running northwest from the better-known Mamanucas, off Fiji's largest island, Viti Levu.
The Yasawas sit roughly 40 to 100 kilometres from Nadi, where most international flights land, yet they feel a world away from the resort buzz of Denarau. There are no large hotels here. Accommodation ranges from backpacker-friendly beachfront bures and family-run lodges to a handful of small island resorts, spread across islands such as Waya, Naviti, Yasawa, Nacula and Tavewa. Famous spots include the Sawa-i-Lau limestone caves, a network of underwater chambers reached by boat that appear in the 1980 film The Blue Lagoon, and the manta ray feeding grounds around Drawaqa, where snorkellers can swim with mantas in season.
Getting there is part of the appeal. The Yasawa Flyer catamaran runs daily from Port Denarau up the island chain, taking several hours depending on your stop, while seaplanes and small aircraft cut the trip to under an hour. Many travellers island-hop by ferry or book a Bula Pass-style hop-on ticket, moving between islands rather than basing themselves in one place.
The best window is Fiji's dry season, roughly May to October, when skies are clear, seas are calmer and manta sightings around Drawaqa are most reliable. December to March brings the wet season and cyclone risk, though also lower prices. The Yasawas suit a particular kind of traveller: those after snorkelling, village visits and slow island time rather than nightlife or big-brand luxury. Budget travellers will find some of the cheapest island stays in the Pacific, while flashpackers can still score overwater-style romance at a fraction of Maldives prices. A few practical notes: English is widely spoken, the Fijian dollar is the currency, and tipping is appreciated but not expected. Many outer islands rely on solar power, so expect simple infrastructure, and bring cash — ATMs are scarce once you leave the mainland.
For anyone building a Fiji trip beyond the mainland resorts, the Yasawas are the obvious add-on: close enough to Nadi for a short stay, far enough to feel properly remote.
